Professional boxer Aaron McKenna has spoken about his unexpected friendship with rapper Kendrick Lamar, which started in 2018 when McKenna was training in Los Angeles. The Irish boxer, now preparing for a world title fight in Dublin, stated that Lamar would always be welcome to train at his family gym in Smithborough, County Monaghan.
McKenna, who was a teenager with limited professional fights at the time, met Lamar while both were using the same gym. Lamar had just finished his own training session when McKenna and his brother, Stephen, also a boxer, began sparring. McKenna recalled that the presence of the rap superstar motivated him and his brother, who are competitive, during their eight rounds of technical sparring. Lamar watched the entire session.
During his time training in California, McKenna and Lamar would often encounter each other at the gym. "We got talking to him after and got on well with him," McKenna said. He described Lamar as a "real nice fellow, down to earth, no arrogance or nothing."
McKenna is currently back in his hometown, training for his upcoming world title bout scheduled for August in Dublin. He mentioned that sparring partners from the UK and the US have been traveling to train with him, extending an open invitation to Lamar as well.